The Japanese noun hotoke (仏) is a word of Buddhist origin and uncertain etymology.[1] It has several meanings, all but a few directly linked to Buddhism. It can refer to:
- A person who has achieved satori (state of enlightenment) and has therefore become a "buddha".[1] (In Buddhism, the term "buddha" in the lower case refers to a person who has become enlightened (i.e., awakened to the truth).)[2][note 1]
- The historical Gautama Buddha himself[1]
- The statue or the name of a buddha[1]
- The laws of Buddhism[1]
- Figuratively, the performing of a Buddhist memorial service. The Eiga Monogatari for example contains a sentence in which the term is used in that sense.[1]
- In common parlance, a dead person; someone's soul[1]
- Figuratively, a benevolent person or someone dear to one's heart[1]
- Hotoke can also be a person's name or a nickname. It is for example a female character in the Heike Monogatari[1] and daimyō Kōriki Kiyonaga's nickname.